Improvement in middlings-purifiers



3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

n'. HfuCKwALTER.

MddIings-Purifiers..

Patented Dec. 22,1874.

Uivrrnn STATES Param rrrcn.

HIMSELF AND FREDRICK LANGE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MIDDLlNGS-PURIFIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 158,025, datedDrcelnter 22,1874; application filed August 15, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL H. BUCK- WALTER, of Chippewa Falls, in thecounty of Chippewa and State of Wisconsin, have invented an ImprovedMachine for Separating and Purifyin g'Wheat-Middlin gs, of which thefollowing is a specification: y

In the manufacture of wheat flour it has been found by experiment thatthere is a perceutage of line flour that is lighter than the fine fuzzof the wheat which is liberated by grinding, but which is also heavierthan the dust of the middlings.

The object of my invention is Vto combine in one machine certain deviceswhich will separate the coarse from the line middlings, eliminating, atthe same time, the impurities from them; second, to separate the fineour from the line middlings; and third, to separate the dust from thefine flour; and, it consists, rst, in the peculiar construction andmanner of operating the bolting-reel, which has a longitudy inalvibration, as well as an intermittent rotation; also, in the peculiarconstruction and arrangement of the separating devices, as more fullyhereinafter set forth.

Figure 1, Sheet l, is a perspective view. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a sideelevation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation.Fig'. 5, Sheet 8, is a longitudinal vertical section on x x, Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a cross-section at y y in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a similar sectionat z z. Fig. 8 is a detail section of the reelgear. Fig. 9 is a similardetail of the reelshaft and central perforated tube. Fig. 10 is a planof the same.

In the drawing, A represents the frame of the machine, surmounted by ahopper, B, through the throat of which a roller, C, is transverselyjournaled in bearings on top ot' the frame, and which, by its rotation,causes the middlings to feed into a spout, D, below, which is enlargedand` inclined to spread the middlings before discharging them. Thebottom of the spout D is fitted with a coarse bolting-cloth, whicheffects the first separation, or rather prepares the middlings for thefirst separation. E is the reel-shaft, which is triangular incross-section. The tail end rotates and slides in a socket in avertically-adjustable bridge-tree, a, to adjust it to such inclinationas the middlings may require. The upper end is sleeved through atriangular opening in the hub or bushing of a pinion, F, journaled in amortise in a bridge-tree, (1t/,in the head part of the frame. rIhereel-shaft is provided with arms b, Fig. 7, which carry the ribs c,covered with boltingcloth E2, which thus forms a triangular reel. Aslotted sleeve, El, is concentric-ally sleeved on the shaft inside thebolting-reel. The head end of the shaft is round in cross-section, andis suspended in an eye at the lower end of a three-inch platespring, d,pendent from the top of the frame, which spring pulls the reel-shafttoward the head ofthe machine. A rod, e, is also secured to this springand the shaking-spout I). G is the driving-shaft, journaled across thefront or head end of the frame, carrying an eccentric, f, which isembraced by an open box, g,.sus pended by two plate springs, h, from theframe. In the rear plate of this box the end of the reel-shaft is`journaled, but bearing at its extremity upon the eccentric. My objectin journaling the shaft in the suspended bearing is to take the frictionoff the hub of the pinion F. H is a suction-fau, driven by a belt from apulley on one end of the drivingshaft. This fan and its vcase arelocated on top of the frame-work, which is cased in on the top. I is thesuction-tuhe, communicating at one end with the fan, and then turneddown over the tail end of the frame, turned in, and terminating in thelower end of the reel, above the shaft. J is a counter-shaft, journaledin the lower front part of the frame, and is driven by a belt from thedriving-shaft. On its inner end is a bevel-pinion, K, meshing with abevel-gear, K', on the front end of a conveyer-shaft, L, longitudinallyjournaled in the lower part of the frame, with a screw-conveyer, M,mounted upon it, and rotating within a trough, N, which may be providedwith one or more valves, to discharge a portion of the material, forreturning them either forregrinding or for repuritication, the restbeing discharged at the tail end. O is a spur-gear on theconveyer-shaft, meshing with and giving e Memes motion to a largepinion, I), on a countershaft, j, above it, on which is also mounted awheel, Q, having 'four teeth, t', on its periphery in one group, all therest being cut o. These teeth t', in each revolution of thecouliter-shai't, engage with the pinion F, sleeved on the reel-shaft,and rotate it one-third of a revolution, causing the reel-shaft torotate from one tlat side to the next, upon which its tail end drops inits bearing with such impact as that the concussion will free the clothfrom the adhering middlings, and thus obviate the necessity of brushingit for that purpose. Gver then reel is Vsuspended anfarched'casing, R,above which is a large opening, k, in the top casing, leading into thefan-case, and which opening is provided with one or more valves toregulate the upward current. EX- tending below the reel, nearly to thetrough, N, are the sides It', suspended from the top casing of themachine. S isa blast-spout, attached to the mouth of the fan-case, andis curved upward, and extends along over the top oi' the machine, with ahopper, S1, over the hopper B, and another one, S2, at the eX- tremitybeyond the machine, both these hoppers being provided with valves s s intheir bottoms. In practice, the total length of the blast-spout is abouttwenty feet. The hopper S2 is covered at the top with a bolting-cloth,l, ot' very tine mesh, which is kept free by two cloth wipers, m, on ashaft, T, revolving in standards n at the sides, the said shaft 'I beingdriven by a belt from any convenient pulley on the machine. The fan isdriven by a belt from the driving-pulley.

The first separation occurs when the iniddlings enter the reel by thesuction of the fan, which draws into the suction-spout the liner andlighter portions which are blown up into the blast-spout s, reaching itthrough the spout or tube I'. rlhe heavier particles pass into the reel,which separates the coarse impurities, which are discharged at the tailend over an apron, U. What passes through the bolt is carried away bythe conveyer, except the very iine particles ot' light liour, which, as

they are iioating or falling slowly down, are met by intluent currentsof air entering bctween the conveyer-trough and the sides R', carried upby the suction over the arched casing R into the fan, and dischargedinto the blast-trunk. The heavier particles settle in the hopper S1,where the second separation occurs, while the lighter particles (fineflour) pass along to the end, where the fine cloth in the end hopper SZpermits the dust to escape, while it retains the iiour, l which, thusseparated, can be drawn oft', from time to time, through the bottomvalve s', the third separation occurring in the hopper S2.

The gearing is so proportioned as to give the reel four hundredvibrations per minute, and one revolution on its axis per minute, orthree concussions per minute, which will keep the meshes of the boltfree from adhering particles.

The tail end of the machine is closed up, except an opening at thedischarge-apron U, in order that the current ot' air to supply the spoutI may be drawn from the head end et the reel. v

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The triangular reel-shaft E, bolting-reel E2, and pinion F, incombination with eccentric fand gearing, for continuously reciprocatingand intermittently rotating the bol'tin reel and reel-shaft,substantially as described.

2. The combination ot' the suction-fan H, suction-spout I, blastspout S,provided with the hoppers S1 S2, the valves s s', shaft T, wipers m, andcloth l, with the bolting-reel F2, shield It, sides R', and frame A,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. rIhe partially-toothed gear Q and pinion F, arranged as described,for intermittently rotating the angular reel-shalt E, having a'longitudinal movement in said pinion, for the purpose set forth.

DANIEL H. BUGKWAIJTER. Witnesses:

EDWARD ALLEN, GEO. VJ. Loan.

